


Golden Days

by Royalr5



Series: Come Get Y’all’s FrostIron [4]
Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Thor (Movies)
Genre: Angst, Angst and Feels, Feels, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Immortality, Loki (Marvel) Feels, Loki (Marvel) Needs a Hug, M/M, Parent Tony Stark, Tony Stark Feels, it’s not as sad as it looks, you might wanna bring some tissues just in case
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-30
Updated: 2020-08-30
Packaged: 2021-03-06 21:33:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,229
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26185735
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Royalr5/pseuds/Royalr5
Summary: It was a discussion they were always going to have, even if they wanted to ignore it.The fact was, Loki was immortal and Tony was not.Will he accept the golden apple?
Relationships: Loki/Tony Stark
Series: Come Get Y’all’s FrostIron [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1670590
Comments: 10
Kudos: 70





	Golden Days

**Author's Note:**

> This fanfiction was heavily inspired by the My Little Pony fanfiction Forever Young by HyperExponential of FimFiction.net
> 
> In fact, I'm pretty sure I just stole from it. Whoops.
> 
> Anyways... Bring out the tissues kids

Loki and Tony had become friends faster than most would expect. Especially considering one threw the other out of a window. They fought together, they laughed together, they did science-y and magic-y things together. 

What was even more unexpected, however, was when they became lovers. Then, eventually, husbands. 

It was that last phase that shook those around them most, including Loki and Tony themselves. It was a difficult and life changing choice they decided to make, and it wouldn’t be the only one. 

It wasn’t long before Loki had told Tony about the golden apple. He had brought it up one evening. A fruit that allowed married couples to live forever together. 

Tony, surprisingly, had turned it down. 

“Would it really be so bad to never age for thousands of years? To never die of sickness? To see all that _time itself_ has to offer,” Loki asked, still perplexed that Tony of all people would turn down immortality. 

“It’s just a huge decision, Lokes,” Tony replied. “I’d need some time to think about it. I mean, living forever… That’s…” He trailed off, tapping his foot in thought. 

Loki seemed unaffected by Tony’s uncertainty. “I’ll give you time to decide. It will take me awhile to obtain one anyway.” He gave Tony a kiss and a smile as he got up from the lab chair he sat on. “I’m off to bed. Try not to stay up too late.” He ran a hand through his husband's hair, examining it for a moment, before leaving. 

Despite his husband's wish, Tony didn’t get much sleep that night.

* * *

“Are you alright, Tony?” Bruce asked, one lunch. “You seem but out of it.”

“You do seem troubled,” Thor said. “Is there something between you and my brother?”

“No, no,” Tony replied. “Not exactly. It’s just…” He paused for a moment to find the right words. “You guys live basically forever, right?”

Thor was slightly caught off guard by the question. “Not quite,” he said. “About two thousand years at least is expected. In my father's case, sometimes we live for far longer.”

Tony played with the bits of crust that sat in front of him, leftover from his sandwich. “What’s it like?”

Tony had a feeling Thor knew what he was referencing. If he did, he didn’t show it. “It is a wonderful gift,” he said. “The sights you see, the things you experience over that time. Your strength and youth is preserved for much of it, if enhanced.” 

Thor’s neutral face turned slightly sour, his voice lowered. “But it does come with its prices. I do not mean to sound morbid, but I do not look forward to the day where I must say goodbye to my shield brothers.”

Tony thought back to Steve, the man out of time. He had mourned over his loved one. But Tony wouldn’t be leaving his loved one behind. Heck, he’d bet that, if he really asked, Loki would go out of his way to make the whole team immortal. 

“Even if you could make others immortal,” Bruce added as if reading his mind, “they would have people they wish to stay with. Where would it end? Everyone would have people they’d leave behind. Even if you did die eventually. It would be endless heartbreak.”

_That’s it,_ Tony thought. He could never ask such a thing. 

“Loki said it himself to me; I will never be ready. But there is little I can do about it.” Thor seemed to become aware of his grim expression, instead changing to a small smile that didn't quite meet his eyes. “But I would never choose to not have met you at all, friend Tony. It is something I will treasure for however long I live.”

It pained Tony to think of Loki going through the same. If he did choose the apple, though, he would be the one mourning. For Bruce, for Rhodey, for _Peter._ Everyone he ever held close, gone. That’s too much of a price to fix grey hairs.

* * *

Tony made up his mind, and he knew Loki’s mind wouldn’t be settled. When the husbands met up that evening for a movie, Tony brought up the topic one last time. 

“Okay so, about the whole golden apple thing,” he sighed. He turned away from Loki’s gaze, unable to meet his eyes, knowing they would turn sad. “I’m really sorry, but I’m going to have to say no.” 

Loki was silent. His face ever so slightly hinted confusion and almost sadness. “Why?” he asked. 

“I’d be leaving everyone behind. I love you. I love you so much, but… Peter, Rhodes, Pepper, the rest of the team. I can’t leave them behind.” 

Loki's sadness visibly turned to anger. He looked as if he was about to counter it (most likely with something nasty against his friends and which he would later regret and apologize for), but the fire dissipated. Tony’s eyes begged Loki to understand. He sighed and said nothing. 

“I’m sorry, but, it’s like delicate machinery. You can’t try to fix part of it without tools. You’ll just disturb another piece. Humans just weren’t meant to live for thousands of years. Nothing beautiful lasts forever, Lokes.” 

“But I _can_ make it last forever,” Loki suddenly shouted. “I can make _you_ last forever. I couldn’t- I _can’t_ go on for centuries after the only thing that makes my life worth living is gone.” All indifference was thrown out the window, leaving behind a sad and pleading expression. 

Tony’s expression held endless empathy, but he stayed firm in his decision. “Loki, you’ve given me the most generous offer anyone could ever give,” he explained, his voice soft. “But I can’t accept it. It just seems too... selfish.” Loki tensed slightly, as if the word stung. 

Tony stood, empty coffee mug in hand. “I’m sorry. If you need some time alone-” He stopped as Loki grabbed his wrist. 

“No,” he said, his voice dry as if he’d been crying. “It would only mean less time with you.” He brought up Tony’s hand to kiss. “If we’re only going to have so much time together, I’ll take every second.” 

Tony smiled softly, which Loki didn’t quite return. Nope! There would be no sad husband on his watch. “Will you still like me when I’m old and grey and senile?” 

“I’m fairly sure the senile part has been long achived,” Loki countered. He chuckled at Tony’s offended exclamation. Loki stood, giving his husband a kiss. “It’ll take more than that to get rid of me.” 

* * *

The next few years turned more and more of Tony’s hair into silver. His elder age, fatherhood, and the loss of his arm after the reverse-snap did its toll. Tony claimed it didn’t bother him, that he had a silver fox thing going on. Loki agreed, saying it did little to weaken his good looks. 

The winter evening was cold, but the fireplace of the Starks’ lake house dared not to let a single chill slip inside. 

While Tony sat tinkering with his coffee pot on their kitchen counter bar (now free of alcohol), Loki entertained their three year old son Narfi as their six year old daughter Morgan braided his hair. 

It was when she was nearly finished when she commented, “Father, you have grey hairs like daddy has!” 

Tony’s tinkering froze, as did Loki. A quick look in his eyes passed, one that Morgan would be too young to catch, before he diverged her attention. “They pale in comparison with how lovely the braid is _sæta_.” He stood, carrying their sleepy toddler. “I’m going to put Narvi to bed, and you should be getting to bed too.” 

Morgan pouted. “Only if you tell me a bedtime story! The one with the pegesas!” she demanded, her pronunciation not quite right. 

Loki tapped his chin with his free hand, pretending to think. “You drive a hard bargain my lady. I’ve taught you well.” He put Narvi in his crib, and led Morgan to her room quickly after. Tony’s eyes never left him until he was out of sight. 

After Loki returned, both children fast asleep, he turned on the kettle.  
“Alright, let me see,” Tony commanded. Loki stiffed a little, clearly hoping Tony wouldn’t nudge the subject further. 

As the kettle boiled, the husbands sat adjacent to each other, Loki facing the opposite direction. Tony ran his fingers through Loki’s scalp. “You do have grey hairs,” he said, almost bewildered. “How…?” 

“It’s just a bit of stress, darling,” Loki said nonchalantly as he turned to face the engineer. The look on Tony’s face, however, began to crack Loki’s indifference. 

Tony’s eyes scanned Loki’s face. He grabbed Loki’s hand and gently rubbed it, spotting a scar from cutting vegetables the other day that should have healed by now. In the years they had known each other, Tony became very aware of every inch of his lover's body, and he was sure there were things out of place. “Tell me this isn’t what I think it is,” he said, his voice cracking between speaking and whispering. 

Loki knew he had been caught, and also better than to lie. He sighed. “I should have known you’d notice eventually.” He hated the way Tony’s eyes lost their hopeful shine. 

He took a breath, deciding to rip the bandage off in one swoop. “I’m mortal.” 

Tony’s ears began to ring, and the world around him faded. Like his mind just couldn’t comprehend the words. 

“...Why?” he pleaded. “What about your brother? What about our kids? Loki, you had so much-“ Loki held up a hand to silence him. 

“You would not stay young with me, you would not age as I did. So, I decided to age with you.” Loki lowered his hand, but Tony stayed silent, urging his husband to explain further. 

Loki took another breath. “I’ve lived for over a thousand years, content as the generations of mortals passed me without a thought. I knew Death would take me someday, and I’ve tried as hard as I could to cheat my way out of it. 

“But now, I know I’ll have someone waiting for me, and I wish to be by their side.” Loki’s hand cupped Tony’s face, bringing him in for a light kiss. “I wish to be by _your_ side. In life and in death.” 

Tony sighed, avoiding Loki’s eyes. His unease was still present on his face. 

He was silent for a moment. “It’ll be Hell to break this to your brother,” he eventually said. 

“I know,” Loki said. 

The two sat in silence, the only sound being the growing whistle of the kettle. Loki stood slowly, his hand slipping out of Tony’s. 

Tony’s eyes never left the ground as the whistling stopped and tea was poured. As Loki sat back down, Tony finally spoke again.  
“I… don't like it-” he paused for another moment- “but it’d be pretty hypocritical of me to stop you.” 

“Stubbornness is one trait we certainly share, despite not always working out in our favor,” Loki said in a slightly lighter tone. Abroader smile crossed his face as he kicked on the kitchen counter. “I mean, seriously? Soapstone? I still say granite is better.” 

Tony snorted. “Come on! Soapstone is stylish! Besides, you chose the living room decor. Which means I got the kitchen.” 

Loki sighed, rolling his eyes playfully. “You’re lucky I love you,” he said, punctuating his sentence with a kiss. 

“The luckiest,” Tony replied, deepening the kiss. 

* * *

It was not long after their youngest had graduated high school when Tony’s health truly started to decline. 

As Loki promised, he rarely ever left Tony’s side. Even as Tony was eventually bedridden. 

They saw both Morgan and Narvi graduate from college, both geniuses in their own rights. Morgan began aiding Pepper in running Stark Industries, certainly being in line for its next CEO. Narvi had a natural curiosity, and wished to travel as much as he could. 

They were all by Tony’s side as he took his last breath. Aged 86, dying peacefully surrounded by friends and family. 

Part of Loki always knew that he would outlive his husband, but there was some solace in the knowledge that Tony would never suffer the heartbreak Loki did that day. 

Tony left most things to his children and closest friends. What use would Loki have for his suits anyway? All he needed was their cottage, and a black kitten the two adopted not long after Narvi left for school. 

It was exactly two years to the day that Loki was found. Lying in his- _their_ bed with a small content smile on his face. 

It was a topic of debate among many. 

There were some who never believed Loki could be redeemed. They thought that his death could be nothing more than a trick, and that he was waiting in the shadows to strike like the snake they always thought he was. 

Where one grinds skepticism, there is also acceptance. But even there, there was debate. Was Loki content with the life he lived, deciding to finally end it all on a high note? 

Perhaps it wasn’t what was behind him, but what he wished to move towards. Maybe there was something or someone waiting for him beyond life’s veil. 

It was a silly debate really. 

After all, who’s to say they weren’t both right? 


End file.
